The Download Munkey : Tracking the Treasure Down …

© Arc System Works

Read about fighting game BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger from Costume GET!. Created by Arc System Works of Guilty Gear fame, BlazBlue : Calamity Trigger features an equally bizarre cast of characters with exotic names like Ms Litchi Faye Ling (below)

© Arc System Works

I like Arakune (below)- his face reminds me of the Shyguy (see Cubeecraft paper toy) from the Super Mario Bros games

© Arc System Works

Three of the more conventional characters – Noel Vermillion, Ragna the Bloodedge and the androgynous Jin Kisaragi.

© Arc System Works

Rachel = Alucard with what seems like an umbrella(?) and Carl Clover.

© Arc System Works

Download these wallpapers at the official Japanese site for BlazBlue : Calamity Trigger.

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Virtua Fighter 5 Renders & Wallpapers
Tekken 6 Character Renders
The King of Fighters XII Wallpapers
Street Fighter IV Wallpapers
Marvel vs Capcom 2 FE (Free Edition?)

Just completed reading all the freely downloadable issue #1s (and assorted sample issues) for the comics / graphic novels published under DC Comics’s Vertigo imprint. I’m not a comics person and I don’t understand what gets categorized under graphic novels when both appear to be the same to me, so for simplicity’s sake, I’ll just refer to everything as comics here

Do note that Vertigo caters to adults so graphically violent and/or sexual images are to be expected together in these comics together with usually generous helpings of coarse language. Then again, given the nature of today’s movies and pop culture, it doesn’t really mean a big difference, does it?

Below I feature some of the comics that I particulary enjoyed.

© Vertigo Comics

My absolute favourite has to be The Losers : Ante Up written by Andy Diggle – a gang of ex-Special Forces personnel pull off some of the most outrageous heists I’ve ever seen in comics (or books … or even movies ).

© Vertigo Comics

V for Vendetta written by Alan Moore – the first comic / graphic novel that sparked my interest in Vertigo’s stuff after watching the movie adaptation. Only a four-page preview of the first issue is available though.

© Vertigo Comics

The Sandman : Precludes Nocturnes written by Neil Gaiman – Volume 1 of the Sandman series in which Roderick Burgess, a self-appointed Lord Magus and his cult attempt to summon and bind Death to their whims but captures Death’s younger brother Dream instead. Without Dream, people around the world sleep and never wake up and eventually the tables are turned on his captors themselves as they become increasingly fearful and tormented from lack of sleep. Meanwhile their captive bides his time waiting for the perfect opportunity to exact his vengeance…

© Vertigo Comics

DMZ Volume 1 : On the Ground written by Brian Wood – Intern Matthew Roth accompanies award-winning journalist Viktor Ferguson into the dangerous Manhattan DMZ where a ceasefire is being arranged between American troops and Free Army rebels, and gets into the thick of the action on his first day at work.

© Vertigo Comics

Northlanders Volume 1 : Sven the Returned written by Brian Wood – bloodthirsty Vikings make bloody good comic material

© Vertigo Comics

The Books Of Magic written by Neil Gaiman – Tim Hunter, a bespectacled boy who looks quite a bit like Harry Potter, is shown the ways of magic by characters from the Vertigo universe. Note the distinctive, almost photorealistic art style by John Bolton.

© DC Comics

Watchmen written by Alan Moore – I like this mainly for Rorschach, a masked vigilante equipped with good old fashioned brawling and zero superpowers,. I had absolutely no idea how closely the Watchmen movie matched the comic, cell for cell until I read this first issue.

Check out the above comics / graphics novels (click on the titles for the download pages) and others at Vertigo Comics (those indicated with #1 have the first issue free for download).

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Watchmen Wallpapers (Movie, Comics & Game)
Watchmen : The End is Nigh Demo Impressions
Marvel Official Wallpapers
Marvelous Papercraft – Boxpunx by Harlancore + Friends
The Darkness & Other Top Cow Comics Wallpapers

If there was ever anyone who knows more about the costumes of computer game characters, it has to be Wataru Maruyama whose Costume GET! blog discusses the finer points of the threads (or lack thereof) adorning the computer game characters of today.

While I mainly root for the heavy chunky armour suits for the monsters in Korean MMORPG games e.g Soul of Ultimate Nation, It’s always nice to read stuff written by someone else with similiar interests. Of course, Wataru’s primary interest in fashion for female characters can’t really hurt either : there’s a lot of ahem … eye-catching outfits out there that I definitely haven’t seen before, that’s for sure

Soul Calibur III art snagged from Costume GET! here.

I mean, I didn’t even know that there was an official Playstation blog where they occassionally post high resolution character renders and concepts like this lovely lady from Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (three other ladies await when you click the above link ).

Tthe site design looks a bit drab but what matters is the content, right?

You’ll also find several thoughtful and well-written articles on game costumes and games in general at Costume GET!, including a serious, in-depth analysis of Lara Croft’s outfit from Tomb Raider : Legends (Part I and II) provided that you weren’t too busy appreciating the costume designs featured there

Check out Costume GET!.

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Cool Character Designs for Upcoming Webzen’s MMOG APB
Tekken 6 Character Renders
Virtua Fighter 5 Renders & Wallpapers
Bullet Witch Wallpapers
Korean MMORPG Wallpapers (III) – Tantra Online

The semi-automatic carbine SKS was introduced into Soviet service more than half a century ago near the end of WWII and looks like this (below)

Image from Wikimedia Commons.

The SKS had an internal magazine for 10 rounds loaded with stripper clips although later Chinese variants could use magazines of the AK-47, which gradually replaced the SKS in frontline service with the Soviet Union.

© TAPCO, Inc

With the Infrapulse SKS system from American rifle accessories manufacturer TAPCO, the SKS transforms into a more contemporary-looking design with stock and handguard made from composite materials replacing the original wooden furniture and comes complete with pistol grip and 5/10/20 round detachable magazines.

© TAPCO, Inc

More pictures at TAPCO’s official site or from their 2009 catalog where I found the photos above. Lots of AR15/M16, AK and Ruger accessories in the catalog for those wanting to kit out their rifles (Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe the correct term is “sporterize” when it comes to older WWII-era rifles).

© TAPCO, Inc

Download the TAPCO Inc 2009 product catalog.

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Modernized M14 Rifles
Modern AKs
Kalashnikov Arms Catalog
Inokatsu AEG Promotional Pics
Assault Rifle Basics Vidcasts
AKs, Screensavers & Image Rippers

© Ben Stokes

A look at some of Ben Stokes’ creative outputs, who’s probably better known as Dimensional Holofonic Sound or D.H.S to techno fans. His track House of God or one of its many remixes has been played by DJs for two decades now, check out its music video at Youtube, also directed and animated by Ben Stokes himself. Or listen to the track itself at Junodownload.

© Ben Stokes

Also check out the music video for Steel Pulse and Damien Marley’s No More Weapons directed, shot and animated by Ben Stokes. Look for the video labelled Music Videos Part 1 at the Video section of his official website at holofonic.com or at YouTube – you definitely can’t miss the reggae vibes or the animated silhouettes of soldiers moving onscreen (reminds me of the Massive Entertainment animated production logo in the game World at Conflict).

© Massive Entertainment

My favourite work from Ben Stokes is definitely the ultra funky Drum Attack video released in 2003 consisting of multiple video clips of drummers doing their thing and expertly chopped and spliced together into a delicious two and half minute mini-mix, not unlike how hip hop DJs mix in different records at lightning speed like DJ Spinbad (or Aquasky for that matter, who crammed in 150+ records for a 5 minute mini-set for Annie Mac’s show on BBC Radio One in Jan 2006).

© Ben Stokes

Karate chops! Wait, have those got anything to do with drumming?

© Ben Stokes

Ends with a visual of Clyde Stubblefield who played the drums for James Brown’s Funky Drummer.

The quality of the Drum Attack video posted at Youtube is rather crappy so you might want to check out a clearer version at the website for Ben Stokes’ label Tino Corp or the Video section of holofonic.com where a longer 3 minute version of Drum Attack awaits in the Other Works video (fast forward to 2:34 mins).

Enjoy!

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Audiotool – Virtual Music Production Studio
Links to Direct Downloads for Selected Annie Mac 5 Minutes Mixes
Promo Video for Gayle San’s .Network Audiovisual Livemix Compilation
Tony-B Machine – Flash Toy for Creating Early 90’s Techno/Electro
Be Your Own One Man Band